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The head also bears the (usually stalked) compound eyes. The lobster's head bears antennae, antennules, mandibles, the first and second maxillae.

The cephalothorax fuses the head and the thorax, both of which are covered by a chitinous carapace. Lobster anatomy includes two main body parts: the cephalothorax and the abdomen. Although lobsters are largely bilaterally symmetrical like most other arthropods, some genera possess unequal, specialized claws. The front pincers are also biologically considered legs, so they belong in the order Decapods ("ten-footed").

Lobsters have eight walking legs the front three pairs bear claws, the first of which are larger than the others. During the shedding process, several species change color. Like most arthropods, lobsters must shed to grow, which leaves them vulnerable. Lobsters are invertebrates with a hard protective exoskeleton. The most similar living relatives of clawed lobsters are the reef lobsters and the three families of freshwater crayfish.ĭescription European lobster with cut antennae Body Clawed lobsters are not closely related to spiny lobsters or slipper lobsters, which have no claws ( chelae), or to squat lobsters. Ĭommercially important species include two species of Homarus from the northern Atlantic Ocean and scampi (which look more like a shrimp, or a "mini lobster")-the Northern Hemisphere genus Nephrops and the Southern Hemisphere genus Metanephrops.Īlthough several other groups of crustaceans have the word "lobster" in their names, the unqualified term "lobster" generally refers to the clawed lobsters of the family Nephropidae. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important and are often one of the most profitable commodities in the coastal areas they populate. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, which are usually much larger than the others. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Lobsters are a family ( Nephropidae, synonym Homaridae ) of marine crustaceans. Lobsters awaiting purchase in Trenton, Maine Homarinus Kornfield, Williams & Steneck, 1995.Dinochelus Ahyong, Chan & Bouchet, 2010.